Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Madistan Mayor Goes All Bonky-Wonk Over Walker Plan

You expect this sort of stuff from Madistan. And the Children-in-Charge haven't yet given much thought to what happens when Walker cuts aids to municipalities.

After all, that'll happen next month, and Mayor Dave wants his candy NOW.

Here are a few excerpts from Mayor Dave's missive on this Grave Crisis Which Threatens Our Very Civilization:

...I’ve instructed our lobbyists to work in opposition to the bill. We are also calling for the bill to be slowed down so that thoughtful consideration can be given to this massive change in municipal labor relations. Nonetheless, it’s our understanding that the Governor is asking that the bill be passed in time for him to sign it at the end of this week.

...The City has reached agreement with many of our unions on contracts that extend to the end of 2012. We will work to expedite the negotiation of contracts for the unions that have not yet settled. We will also work with labor leaders to extend those contracts that terminate at the end of this year to the end of 2012 in order to achieve parity among all represented City employees.

• Together with Council Leadership, I am considering calling a special meeting of the Common Council for Thursday of this week to approve these collective bargaining agreements, so that all of our unions will have settled contracts through 2012 before this legislation goes into effect.

• I realize many of you want to attend the rallies that will be held this week at the State Capitol to oppose these changes. I have asked department and division heads to be flexible with employee requests to use approved paid leave this week.

When the State of Wisconsin's new budget (yet to be introduced) cuts aid to municipalities--and it will, in significant percentages--Madistan will be paying one helluva bill for that "labor peace."

My suggestion: sell your house right now. Take a discount on the price if necessary. Get the hell outta there.

HT: Bruce
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6 comments:

  1. Andrew K2/15/2011 11:51 PM

    This will lead to shitty public employees.

    And, it'll kill a lot of good unions, especially if the whole "not legally allowed to force dues collection but legally required to provide representation."

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  2. Dad292/16/2011 6:17 AM

    Maybe.

    And maybe.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous2/16/2011 10:24 AM

    History was not your best subject, Dad29. Despite the bad rap unions get (in some cases, deservedly so), they were instrumental in ensuring competitive wages, a 40 hour work week, and worker's compensation for injuries. You honestly believe the corporate bigwigs like Rockefeller and Carnegie, despite their noteworthy charity work, were going to provide those "benefits" out of the goodness of their hearts without bloodshed by unions and federal intervention?"

    Hell, no. Bottom line, it was about collusion for profits.

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  4. Dad292/16/2011 10:37 AM

    Oh, I don't doubt that Rockefeller, Carnegie and others were rapacious bastards.

    But you have the correct word: HISTORY.

    The unions did not pass FLSA. They did not come up with health insurance--that was FDR.

    The unions did not establish civil service protections.

    That's all in place now. So "history" is precisely the term.

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  5. Anonymous2/16/2011 11:38 AM

    Union efforts LED to public outage, which in turn led politicians to put into place the pieces of legislation you cite. They (unions) were the galvanizing force. They also elected officials who would ensure those protections.

    And unions will continue to work hard to keep business owners--ah, those benevolent capitalists--from being "rapacious bastards".

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  6. TerryN2/16/2011 9:03 PM

    Looks like Andrew K knows that unions are like buggy whips.

    ReplyDelete